North West

£130,000 boost makes Pennington FC dream a reality

GRASSROOTS sport has received a significant boost with the news that Pennington Football Club has received a grant of £99,700 from the Football Foundation - the country's largest sports charity.

The funding will enable Pennington FC to extend and refurbish their current tired facilities at Jubilee Park, off Leigh Road, Howe Bridge. The project will provide improved facilities for members ranging from six year-old juniors to senior men and women players. It is also partly funded by Viridor Credits from whom the club secured a £30,000 grant earlier this year.

A new sports pavilion will house four changing rooms, two new rooms for match officials, toilets, a new kitchen and a refurbished club room.

Funded by the Premier League, the Football Association and the government (via Sport England) the Football Federation is the country's largest sports charity. Since it was launched in 2000 the FF has awarded 8,000 grants worth £420 to grassroots sport and has attracted aqdditional partnership funding of £520m-plus.

Pennington FC secretary Dave Farrington said: "The Football Foundation and Viridor Credits have made a dream become a reality. The club committee has worked tirelessly to achieve this goal. Many hours have been spent burning the midnight oil plotting and planning the project!

"When the old club house burned down in 1996 Pennington FC went through some tough and very testing times. All that effort and hardship has now paid dividends and thanks to the Football Foundatiobn we can look fortward to a bright future."

Football Foundation chief executive Paul Thorogood explained: " Pennington Football Club has been extremely energetic and worked tirelessly in partnership with the Lancashire FA to secure this funding. I am thrilled to see their hard work rewarded."